Pastoral Note – Use of Church Building

25 May 2020

Dear Brougham Place Community, 

Greetings in the name of Christ!

Although we are in the midst of unusual times, it has been a joy to celebrate this Easter Season together. Soon we will move into the season of exploring the Kingdom of God between Pentecost and Christ the King Sunday.

As the restrictions on gatherings ease, we have received more inquiries about the use of the church building. Given the nature of intergenerational worship, and the size of the Brougham Place community, we will continue to worship online.

Where ministries can, they will continue in online formats. It is exciting that some ministries meet the requirements and guidelines, and will resume in the building. There are strict requirements for this to happen. It is important to give you some details about the changes that have happened around the church.

If you go to the church building, you will encounter several new signs as well as things likes sign in registers and hand sanitiser. Here’s some of what you can expect:

	Clean Hands Signs These signs are now found at all sinks. Please take care to wash your hands regularly as this helps to slow the spread of viruses.
	Cover Your Cough Signs These are placed throughout the building. Please make sure that you cover a cough and that if you are feeling at all unwell that you do not attend events at the building.
	Maximum Room Occupancy Signs Every room in the building has a sign either on the entrance door or next to the light switch that indicates how many people are allowed in the room. This is to maintain the government’s guidelines that there are 4 square metres per person in a room. The maximum number allowed in a room may actually be higher than are permitted in the building at any one time. These signs have been designed to be used as the requirements change. As of today, the maximum number of people allowed in the whole building is 10.
	Sign-in Register At each entrance to the building there is a sign-in register. These are an important tool if there is a breakout related to the building. We are required to keep these for 28 days so that they can be given to government officials in order to trace contact. Please sign in and out of the building if you enter for any reason.
	Stop Signs These are important notices that you will need to read before proceeding. This sign may inform you that the building has been fully booked and that other people are not allowed to be in the building during certain times. It is really important that you adhere to these signs for the health and safety of all people. It also helps the church to follow the guidelines as prescribed by the government and avoid being fined.

You will also notice that there is hand sanitiser available at all entrances and exits to the building. Please make use of this as you enter and leave the building. Frequently touched surfaces (such as doorknobs, light switches and railings) continue to be sanitised on a regular basis.

Because of restrictions on the number of people allowed in the building at any one point, all bookings must be made through the church office (office@bpuc.org or 8267 2657). The office diary will be the official diary for all bookings / gatherings.

Some of these guidelines may well feel strange. One of the delightful things about this community is the shared sensed of responsibility, care and ownership of the building. It truly is like ‘home’ for so many people. Although we all hope it remains a place of hospitality and warmth, it also needs to be safe. We can manage both of those things if we all work together.

Let us go forward into the unknown with a great sense of God’s presence with us always.

In Christ,

Jenni and John